Forensic Studies - Natural Science Program

The field of forensics is a growing and dynamic one that has far outstripped its initial boundaries as a discipline only pertinent to the gathering of data at crime scenes. Today, a vast array of natural sciences has been brought to the field of criminal investigations and prosecutions. Within the next 15 years, natural scientists will be having much more interaction with the legal system and the agents and attorneys within that system will need to carry on meaningful conversations with those forensic experts in the effort to do justice in each case.

The goal of this minor is to provide students with a broad-based understanding of the scientific aspect of forensics. The forensic studies- natural science minor is not meant to provide students with all of the skills necessary to perform the job of a forensic scientist. Rather, the goal is to provide students with a working understanding of the integration of each of this discipline with the criminal law so that the students may, if they wish, pursue those specializations in other undergraduate or future graduate study.